Patel, the owner and president of Alpine Nursing Care, Inc. on Northfield Road in North Randall, employed Belita Mable Bush, as the office manager and director of provider services from June 1, 2006 through October 18, 2009, according to court documents.

Patel and Alpine employed Bush to prepare and submit the billings to Medicaid and Medicare for reimbursement for services provided by Alpine as a home health care provider, even though Patel knew that Bush had been previously convicted of a health care-related felony that excluded Bush from being involved in any way with Alpine's Medicaid and Medicare billings, according to court documents.

In addition to the fact that Bush was excluded from handling Alpine's medical billings, Patel was aware that Bush falsified documents related to health care services allegedly provided to home health patients where the services were never provided, or were provided by home health aide that had previous criminal convictions that excluded them from providing health services in people's houses, according to court documents.

As a result of the conspiracy, Medicaid and Medicare suffered a loss of approximately $2,564,392, according to court documents.

Bush was convicted on related charges and is scheduled to be sentenced May 28.

"This defendant enriched himself and his company by flouting rules designed to protect the public," Dettelbach said.

If you suspect health care fraud, waste or abuse, please report it by calling HHS Office of Inspector General at 800-447-8477, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services at 800-633-4227, or the FBI Cleveland Field Office at (216) 522-1400.

To learn more about health care fraud prevention and enforcement go to www.stopmedicarefraud.gov.